On I-80 West yesterday bound for Des Moines—somewhere after the Iowa state line but before the real border, which is the looming, purple thunderhead you inevitably pass through on this road—NPR stations were getting harder and harder to find, badly outnumbered on the bottom of the FM dial by Christian shows.
I was listening with forced intensity, as I was drowsy and my first mate was sleeping. On “Talk of the Nation,” I heard an interview on the energy situation with the president-elect of the American Petroleum Institute. The fellow, who has also represented the mining industry and one other industry lobby whose altruistic aim I can’t recall, said more than once that what he thought we really need in this country is a “robust debate” about energy.
Now I don’t know about you, but when I have as strong a point of view about something as I imagine the oil industry has about wanting to drill more reserves in North America, what I’m looking for is not a “robust debate.”
Honey, I understand you want me to come along with you to Bed, Bath and Beyond, and that this trip will cause me to miss my tee time. I embrace this diversity of views, and I look forward to a robust debate.
I don’t know whether drilling offshore is a good idea. I’m not an environmentalist, a scientist, or an oil energy expert.
I do know that in general, people who call for debates and dialogues are looking to put the problem off (“we need a dialogue on education!”) while pretending to address it (“we need a dialogue on race in this country!”).
As for people who use the word “robust”—whether they’re referring to debates, coffee or marketing strategies—well, they’re bullshitters too.
Finally, the petroleum guy also said that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but everyone is not entitled to their own facts. It’s my experience—and I bet most sensible Iowans will agree with me on this one—that people who use this old saw happen to be liars.
First off Mister Man – LAY OFF the Bed Bath and Beyond!! We let you men have your 326 power tools from Home Depot that mostly, you don’t even know how to USE, okay?
Ahem, now then. I agree with you on this topic. “Dialogues” and “Debates” are necessary and appropriate on contentious issues. However, they should be just the first step on a process toward TAKING A STAND and MAKING A DECISION/TAKING AN ACTION.
Instead, these ya-hoos want to stop at the “dialogue” part, in the hopes of bamboozling the people who have legitimate concerns and want some action taken.
And this business about “…everyone is not entitled to their own facts” is a crock. The discussion we had here recently about the environment PROVES that, in fact, you CAN find an expert who will put forth almost ANY perspective you prefer on almost any issue out there if you look hard enough.
As always, its up to us citizen’s to refuse to accept BS, platitudes or mis-direction when it comes to important issues and keep pushing for real anwsers and real action.
I agree with you David, that Iowans are smart enough to see through this nonsense.
Kristen, you never cease to brighten my day, and I’m glad we’re friends.
Still, on to business. You imply that the oil guy is a “yahoo” and people who don’t want to drill aren’t. You imply–or do I misunderstand?–that all the “BS, platitudes, and misdirection” are coming from the oil guys. What’s your evidence for any of that? And finally, your comment is almost completely emotional rather than thoughtful. Isn’t that its own variety of misdirection? “Don’t bother me with facts–I’m TAKING A STAND and MAKING A DECISION/TAKING AN ACTION”?
Love, Jane
Dearest Jane,
While I am no particular lover of oil companies, I did not intend to direct my comments to them exclusively, but to any group, organization, government or private company who uses “We want to dialogue” or “We need to study this issue fully” as a smokescreen to perpetuate and continue with actions which are contentious or problematic for members of the public.
I apply the terms “ya-hoo” or “bamboozler” to any such individuals or groups equally. You may recall my disdainful comments regarding Al Gore and his “I buy carbon credits, so its okay that I jet around the world on a private plane to lecture OTHERS about sacrificing to save the environment,” so I feel that I am being an “equal opportunity disdain-er.”
But as far as the oil companies go, I must say that I have always held that if they were TRULY up-front and honest, what they OUGHT to say in response to all the bitching about gas prices is:
“This is a free market economy, in which supply and demand is how the system works. We have gas, you need gas, so we can, and will charge whatever the market will bear. If you don’t like gas prices, don’t drive. Have a nice day, and we value your business!”
Up here in the north, we’ve been “robustly” debating a gas pipeline. The latest effort was a legislative road show that ran pretty much from Ketchikan to Kaktovik, at huge cost and unimaginable tedium for those of us not riding along. It’s in the paper and on the news every single day, inescapable.
And I don’t want anymore debates. I want leaders with a plan, a plan that’ll help me not feel my stomach knot every time I think about how I’m gonna heat my house next winter when it was already costing $700 a month LAST winter; one that’ll give our local electric company some source of power, because their supply dries up in three more years; and some way to buy gasoline (for my PRIUS, so it isn’t like I’m not doing what I can) that isn’t costing $4.69 a gallon and rising.
I don’t want education or debate. Facts aren’t even all that important to me right now. At this point I don’t care how they do it. I want a savior with a plan.
Maybe that’s how Hitler got his start.
Egad.
Here’s what NPR had to say about gas prices in 2006, when they were dangerously close to $3 (!) per gallon:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5365439
Okay, I agree that the guy David quoted didn’t do a good job of seizing the moment. More discussion is not what we need. But everything I’ve seen points to there being maybe a dozen combined reasons for the current price of gasoline. The high price of crude; the ravenous hunger for fuel in China and India; the worldwide demand that exceeds available supply; local, state, and federal fuel taxes (that pay for roads and bridges): these are factors in the price just as much as oil company decisions about price, and maybe even more so. If there were bona fide gouging going on, somebody would prove it and Something Would Be Done About It because we’re all just that angry!
My point is that focusing on the evil oil companies–who can spend upwards of $100 million just to EXPLORE whether there’s oil in a certain location–is really counterproductive.
Jane – while I’m not suggesting the oil companies are “evil” (they’re not, they’re a business and the main objective of MOST businesses is profit-making) they are also posting record profits consistently quarter over quarter, and that’s over and above the taxes you hear so much about them having to pay.
Is it actually “gouging”? I’m not knowledgeable enough reading financial reports to say that categorically. They certainly aren’t hurting financially.
It’s also hard to feel too terribly *sorry* for these companies when you see these record-setting profit announcements they put out:
Chevron: http://www.chevron.com/news/press/release/?id=2008-05-28
Exxon Mobil:
http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/Files/news_release_earnings1q08.pdf
Devon Energy:
http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/67/67097/reports/AR2007/08_02.htm
Bottom line: Americans have actually quite low gas prices compared to what most of the rest of the world is paying. If you want to drive a car, you pay the prices they charge. Suck it up!
Agreed. I don’t think we shoulde feel sorry for the oil companies. But we shouldn’t focus on them, either. They’re in business.
And I keep coming back to our friend Krauthammer: What do we want? Do we want lower gas prices, or do we want Americans to use less gas, for “green” or economic reasons, from now into the future? It’s possible that we can’t accomplish both objectives, at least in the foreseeable future. If we lower gas prices, people will use more gas. If we keep gas prices high and maybe even raise them higher, drivers will learn new habits and use less gas. But we’re conflicted, impatient Westerners. We want them both and we want them both NOW.
Jane – this is a red-letter day! I agree with every word in your last comment – every single one!
I may print this discussion and frame it!
😉
I raise my gin-and-tonic to us, Kristen.